Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a functional headband that is applied to welding masks, protective masks, safety helmets, medical helmets, etc. and, more particularly, to a functional headband having an integral cushion band which is formed at supporting bands, thereby supporting a wearer's head in a double supporting structure.
Description of the Related Art
In general, industrial safety equipment, such as welding masks, protective masks, safety helmets, etc., and medical safety equipment, such as medical head guards, medical safety helmets, etc., are commonly used in various industrial (e.g. construction or civil engineering) and medical sites, in order to protect a worker or a wearer from any accident while working.
In one example, a welding operation generates a strong flash of light and causes welding material to be scattered toward the welder's face. A welding mask has been used as a representative example of safety equipment to protect the welder's eyes and face from the aforementioned dangers.
A welding mask generally includes a protective mask configured to cover a welder's face along with a viewing window to protect the welder's eyes and face, and a headband provided inside the protective mask to help the welder stably wear the protective mask on the head.
Such a headband includes a main band configured to surround the circumference of the wearer's head in the state of closely contacting the forehead, and a first supporting band and a second supporting band configured to surround the front section and the rear section of the head. The headband further includes a length adjustment lever, which is positioned on the rear section of the wearer's head and is connected with the main band through adjustment bands. That is, the adjustment bands are directly connected with the ends of the main band, and are coupled to the length adjustment lever.
A cushion member is attached to an inner surface of the length adjustment lever. The cushion member is centrally concave from upper and lower and left and right sides thereof so as to come into close contact with the rear section of the head. Such a cushion member comfortably surrounds the rear section of the wearer's head, thereby providing comfort and convenience in wearing a welding mask.
However, because the first supporting band and the second supporting band are in direct contact with the specific regions of the wearer's head, the wearing sensation is deteriorated. Further, when the wearer wears the headband for a long time, he or she feels uncomfortable and even develops a headache because of the pressure that is continuously applied to the specific regions of the head by the first supporting band and the second supporting band.
To solve this problem, the wearer temporarily puts an intervening member, constituted of a sheet of paper, cloth, etc., between the head and the first and second supporting bands so as to prevent the first and second supporting bands from intensively pressing the specific regions of the head.
However, the intervening member, constituted of a sheet of paper, cloth, etc., is often separated without being fixed between the head and the first and second supporting bands. Therefore, it is inconvenient for the wearer to put the intervening member back between the head and the first and second supporting bands while working, which obstructs work and deteriorates work efficiency.
Further, whenever the wearer takes off the headband, for example for a rest, and puts the headband back on to resume a work, he or she is inconvenienced by having to remove and remount the intervening member. Furthermore, the intervening member, made of a sheet of paper or cloth, may be easily lost if the wearer is careless.